( MENAFN - Investor Brand Network) SenesTech (NASDAQ:SNES) reported a 51% increase in revenue for the first nine months of 2024, totaling $1.4 million, driven by strong sales of its Evolve Rat and Evolve Mouse products. Gross margins improved to 65% in Q3 2024, up from 49% in the same quarter last year, due to enhanced manufacturing efficiency. The company's operating expenses decreased by 12%, and its adjusted EBITDA loss was the smallest in its history, reducing cash burn by 21%. Evolve Rat, launched in early 2024, now accounts for 52% of Q3 revenue, and the company has expanded sales through e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart. Additionally, SenesTech is expanding into international markets, securing significant orders from distributors in Hong Kong and the Netherlands. The company is also exploring municipal opportunities, including a rat contraception pilot program in New York City. To view the full press release, visit About SenesTech Inc. SenesTech is committed to improving the health of the world by humanely managing animal-pest populations through its expertise in fertility control. Senestech is the inventor of Evolve(TM) Rat and Evolve(TM) Mouse, EPA-designated, minimum-risk contraceptives for rodents, which reflects the company's mission to provide products that are proactive, safe and sustainable. Evolve fits seamlessly into all integrated pest-management programs, significantly improving the overall goal of effective pest management. The company's strives for clean cities, efficient businesses and happy households - with a product designed to be humane, effective and sustainable. For more information about the company, please visit . NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SNES are available in the company's newsroom at About TechMediaWire TechMediaWire (“TMW”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on pioneering public and private companies driving the future of technology. It is one of 70+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers : (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries ; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets ; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact ; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers ; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions . With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, TMW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists, and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, TMW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. TMW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge. To receive SMS alerts from TechMediaWire, text“TECH” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information, please visit Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the TechMediaWire website applicable to all content provided by TMW, wherever published or re-published: /Disclaimer TechMediaWire Los Angeles, CA 310.299.1717 Office [email protected] TechMediaWire is powered by IBN MENAFN02122024000224011066ID1108948966 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Stock market today: Wall Street rallies ahead of ChristmasETMarkets Smart Talk: Lupin, Polycab India among top conviction buys post correction: Amnish Aggarwal
( MENAFN - Chainwire) Victoria, Seychelles, December 27th, 2024, Chainwire Bitget , the leading Cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company has announced the listing of Phala Network (PHA) in its Innovation, AI, and DePIN Zone. This strategic addition reflects Bitget's dedication to offering innovative projects that redefine the boundaries of blockchain technology. Deposits for PHA are now open, with trading slated to begin on 27 December 2024 at 11:00 (UTC). Withdrawals will be enabled starting 28 December 2024 at 12:00 (UTC). The PHA/USDT trading pair will be available to all Bitget users, providing seamless access to this advanced Web3 AI ecosystem. Limited-Time Offer To mark this listing, Bitget is offering a special 7-day promotion. Users can purchase PHA using credit or debit cards with zero transaction fees during this period. This promotion supports over 140 currencies, including EUR, GBP, AUD, TWD, UZS, UAH, TRY, THB, BRL, PLN, IDR, PHP, and CAD. About Phala Network Phala Network is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence with blockchain technology by functioning as the Execution Layer for Web3 AI. By enabling AI to understand and interact with blockchains, Phala Network removes barriers to adoption, unlocking Web3 for the first billion users. The network's revolutionary multi-proof system addresses the complexities of AI execution, providing developers with the tools to build tamper-proof, unstoppable AI agents. These agents operate closely with on-chain smart contracts through the AI-Agent Contract feature, enabling powerful and secure AI-driven decentralized applications. Phala Network represents a significant advancement in the convergence of AI and blockchain, delivering a platform that supports the next generation of decentralized intelligence. The project's smart contract address (ERC20) is: 0x6c5bA91642F10282b576d91922Ae6448C9d52f4E . For more information about Phala Network, users can visit the official website and community channels. About Bitget Established in 2018, Bitget is the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 45 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price , Ethereum price , and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a world-class multi-chain crypto wallet that offers an array of comprehensive Web3 solutions and features including wallet functionality, token swap, NFT Marketplace, DApp browser, and more. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World's Top Football League, LALIGA , in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM market, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency. For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. 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If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.ATLANTA (AP) — Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden’s pardoning of his son for federal crimes, with some calling the move misguided and unwise after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law. The president pardoned Hunter Biden late Sunday evening, reversing his previous pledges with a grant of clemency that covers more than a decade of any federal crimes his son might have committed. The 82-year-old president said in a statement that his son’s prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who along with Biden and other White House officials insisted for months that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon . That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden’s reversal could make it harder to take on Trump , who has argued that multiple indictments and one conviction against him were a matter of Biden and Democrats turning the justice system against him. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden on the social media platform X. “When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” the governor continued, a reference to the president invoking fatherhood in explaining his decision. “Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on X: “This wasn’t a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers.” Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden “put personal interest ahead of duty” with a decision that “further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was “an improper use of power” that erodes faith in government and “emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests.” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon “understandable” if viewed only as the “action of a loving father.” But Biden's status as “our nation's Chief Executive," the senator said, rendered the move “unwise.” Certainly, the president has Democratic defenders who note Trump’s use of presidential power to pardon a slew of his convicted aides, associates and friends, several for activities tied to Trump’s campaign and first administration. “Trump pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, as well as his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner — who he just appointed US ambassador to France,” wrote prominent Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper on X. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said there “is no standard for Donald Trump, and the highest standard for Democrats and Joe Biden.” Harrison pointed to Trump's apparent plans to oust FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with loyalist Kash Patel and suggested the GOP's pursuit of Hunter Biden would not have ended without clemency. “Most people will see that Joe Biden did what was right,” Harrison said. First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.” Democrats already are facing the prospects of a Republican trifecta in Washington, with voters returning Trump to the White House and giving the GOP control of the House and Senate. Part of their argument against Trump and Republican leaders is expected to be that the president-elect is violating norms with his talk of taking retribution against his enemies. Before beating Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump faced his own legal troubles, including two cases that stemmed from his efforts to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Those cases, including Trump’s sentencing after being convicted on New York state business fraud charges, have either been dismissed or indefinitely delayed since Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, forcing Democrats to recalibrate their approach to the president-elect. In June, President Biden firmly ruled out a pardon or commutation for his son, telling reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case: “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” As recently as Nov. 8, days after Trump’s victory, Jean-Pierre ruled out a pardon or clemency for the younger Biden, saying: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.” The president’s about-face came weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges. It capped a long-running legal saga for the younger Biden, who disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020 — a month after his father’s 2020 victory. The sweeping pardon covers not just the gun and tax offenses against the younger Biden, but also any other “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024.” Hunter Biden was convicted in June in Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018 when , prosecutors said, he lied on a federal form by claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He had been set to stand trial in September in a California case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. But he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges in a surprise move hours after jury selection was set to begin. In his statement Sunday, the president argued that such offenses typically are not prosecuted with the same vigor as was directed against Hunter Biden. “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said in his statement. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son. ... I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Associated Press journalists Will Weissert aboard Air Force One and Darlene Superville, Mary Claire Jalonick and Michael Tackett in Washington contributed to this report.
IOWA CITY — Antics at the pregame coin toss, two Husker fumbles and an explosive play will be the lasting images of Iowa’s 13-10 win over Nebraska on Friday. The Hawkeyes (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) needed a last-second field goal to beat the Huskers (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten), but also needed these four turning points to earn the victory. First Quarter — Prior to the start of Friday’s contest, when Hawkeye captains Jay Higgins, Quinn Schulte, Luke Lachey and Logan Jones met the Huskers captains at midfield, the Nebraska captains refused to shake hands with Iowa’s quartet. “They did not reach out their hands,” Higgins said. “So, that was a little weird ... The moment they did not shake our hands, I knew we won.” The decision by the Huskers to refuse the traditional midfield exchange of pleasantries fueled the Hawkeyes’ star linebacker for the remainder of the game. Higgins added he stewed on it as Iowa trailed 10-0 at halftime. “How good did they feel at halftime?” Higgins said. “Did not shake our hands, up 10, they were probably in that locker room going crazy. “During the first series, we were on their sideline and I got a little close to their head coach. I said, ‘It probably was not a good idea to not shake our hands.’ He goes, ‘Who are you?’” Higgins led Iowa with 12 total tackles. He also recorded two quarterback hurries and one tackle for loss in the win. Third Quarter — The Hawkeyes caught a break to start the third quarter as Nebraska kicker John Hohl missed a 34-yard field goal at the end of the Huskers’ first drive of the second half. Despite the break, Iowa stalled out at midfield during their first possession of the third quarter following a 25-yard run from Kaleb Johnson on the second play. Despite their field position, the Hawkeyes elected to punt and play the field position battle. The decision paid off for Iowa as the Nebraska punt return unit failed to secure Rhys Dakin’s 47-yard kick. Defensive back John Nestor pounced on the muffed kick, setting up the Hawkeyes with the ball at the Nebraska 4-yard line. Drew Stevens connected on a 20-yard kick three plays later to trim the lead to 10-3. Fourth Quarter — 15:00 — Second-and-13 — Iowa 28 After struggling offensively through the first three quarters of play, amassing 65 total yards in 45 minutes of action, Iowa struck for an explosive play on the first snap of the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jackson Stratton threw a short swing pass to running back Kaleb Johnson in the backfield. It was not a perfect pass. “I did not hit him in stride,” Stratton said. “I kind of put it a little behind him. I have to put that a little bit in front of him, but, hey, he took off.” Though Stratton’s pass momentarily brought Johnson to a stop, the back managed to turn up field, step through one tackle, drive another Nebraska defender back and spin free of a cloud of Huskers to race 72 yards for a touchdown. “Once he hit that second level, we all know what we have seen,” Stratton said. “Once he started really moving, got past that second guy, I was like, ‘Oh, he is gone.’ “Then, I was just chasing him after that.” The explosive play knotted the game at 10-10 and gave Iowa all the momentum for the rest of the contest. Fourth Quarter — Looking to drive into field goal range to set up a walk-off kick, Nebraska managed to move just shy of midfield with 22 seconds remaining on the clock. Out of a timeout, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola dropped back for a pass. Iowa defensive end Max Llewellyn came screaming off edge to Raiola’s right, beating the Huskers’ right tackle and ripped the ball away from Raiola at the Nebraska 36. “I came around the corner and the ball was right down by his hip,” Llewellyn said. “I reached over and I had the ball in my hand. “Throughout the game, I was consistently beating being around the edge with speed. The ball just happened to be out. I just trusted it.” The Hawkeyes previously forced fumbles on two prior sacks of Raiola but failed to recover the loose ball. The third time was the charm for Iowa as Llewellyn came out of the maw with the ball. The strip gave Iowa the ball inside Stevens’ field goal range and allowed the junior to hit a walk-field goal for the Hawkeyes’ ninth win over the Huskers in 10 meetings. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The first two days of the December transfer portal window saw Missouri lose a surprise prospect and a small handful of depth players as well as set in motion a potential special teams overhaul. So goes the business portion of the calendar. Of the departures to have entered the transfer portal or announced their intent to do so, edge rusher Williams Nwaneri is the most notable. The five-star recruit who anchored the Tigers’ 2024 recruiting class played sparingly while redshirting this season, and now he’s in the portal. Nwaneri’s exit certainly qualifies as unexpected, even if his limited playing time emerges as a possible or partial reason for him to transfer. Other MU transfers have fallen more in line with the kind of moves that happen at power conference programs around the country: players who aren’t especially big names or key contributors entering the portal to find more snaps or a change of scenery. Wide receiver Mekhi Miller, one of the early portal entrants, fits that bill. He played in every game during his freshman season out of Overland Park, Kansas, and in almost every game over the past three years. That netted just 22 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown, though, as Miller never became more than an infrequent target. Miller has one season of eligibility remaining, and with younger competition among Mizzou’s wideouts — Joshua Manning, Marquis Johnson, Daniel Blood and Courtney Crutchfield are among the returners who could significantly increase their roles next year — will choose to use that somewhere else. Linebacker Brayshawn Littlejohn, two years into his college career, is also portal-bound. He redshirted in 2023 and appeared almost exclusively on special teams this season, even as the Tigers’ linebacker corps thinned due to injury. Mizzou will likely need a couple of linebackers to come into the program via the transfer portal this offseason after losing its rotation of Triston Newson, Chuck Hicks and Corey Flagg Jr. as they've now wrapped their college careers. Littlejohn’s transfer adds to the suggestion that the Tigers will be active in adding to the center of their defense. Safety Phillip Roche is transferring after finding himself in a similar situation: He carved out a role as a freshman in 2023, particularly as a blitzer in some niche defensive packages. But an arrest early in the 2024 preseason for missing court appearances set the tone for a campaign in which he played just three defensive snaps and wound up removed from the roster before the regular-season finale. Most of Missouri’s other departures have come from the special teams corner of the program, where personnel changes are seemingly in order. Punter Orion Phillips is in the transfer portal one year after transferring to Mizzou from Murray State. Joining him are kickers Nick Quadrini, Will Safris, Brody Boehm and long snapper Jack Kautz. It’s not clear whether they were collectively encouraged to seek other opportunities, but that the Tigers now have only one specialist — kicker Blake Craig — slated to return in 2025 suggests a bigger trend is playing out in these departures. Punter Luke Bauer’s eligibility is also up after this season. That means MU will be starting with a clean slate at punter next season, relying on a transfer portal option — or two, if it wants competition or depth at the position — to take over. Missouri’s portal offers suggest Craig, even as a returner, will face some competition to retain his starting job. The Tigers have sent an offer to Charlotte kicker Stephen Rusnak, who was 11 for 11 on field goals, including five from 40 or more yards, this season. Craig wound up making 22 of his 32 field goal attempts during his first season as Mizzou’s starter, including 4 of 7 tries from 50 or more yards. But he went just 1 for 7 between 40-49 yards. Craig finished the regular season tied for the most field goal attempts in the nation, which suggests the Tigers can’t particularly afford to compromise at kicker — especially when they’ll be replacing most of their contributors on the offensive side of the ball next season. There’s an element of broader changes to college football that will impact this transfer portal cycle, and special teams in particular: as revenue-sharing takes effect, the NCAA will limit football rosters to 105 players. That could keep a school from rostering, say, three long snappers and three kickers, as MU did this season. The transfer portal is open through Dec. 28. Players do not have to have picked a new school by that time — only to have entered. Because Missouri’s bowl game takes place after the window for entry has closed, MU players will have an additional five days after the Dec. 30 Music City Bowl to enter the portal.A new episode from season 6 of of VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop: Miami” will air on the network Monday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. EST. Those hoping to watch the new episode without cable TV can stream it for free on platforms like Philo , DirecTV Stream or FuboTV . All three platforms offer a free trial for new users interested in signing up for an account. In the new episode “Amara and Marlon make an unexpected connection; Shay investigates the allegations about Fabo; Derrick hosts a party that tests Angela; Trick Daddy deals with the aftereffects of a near-death experience; Bobby accuses Trina of infidelity.” How can I watch VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop Miami” for free without cable? Those without cable can watch the new episode for free through either Philo , DirecTV Stream or FuboTV , each of which offer a free trial to new users. What is Philo ? Philo is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers 60+ entertainment and lifestyle channels, like AMC, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more, for the budget-friendly price of $25/month. What is DirecTV Stream ? RECOMMENDED • masslive .com Thanksgiving TV Guide: How to watch, what’s the ‘cranberry sauce’ game? Nov. 28, 2024, 6:16 a.m. WATCH: MassLive to host MIAA football state championship preview show Dec. 2 Dec. 2, 2024, 6:00 a.m. The streaming platform offers a plethora of content including streaming the best of live and On Demand, starting with more than 75 live TV channels. What is FuboTV ? FuboTV is an over-the-top internet live TV streaming service that offers more than 100 channels, like sports, news, entertainment and local channels. It offers DVR storage space, and is designed for people who want to cut the cord, but don’t want to miss out on their favorite live TV and sports.
Ex-Man Utd star Ashley Young could face his SON in FA Cup third round as Everton ace says ‘dreams might come true’DALLAS — If “better health for my hockey team” was among Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes’ holiday wishes, he instead got a notable lump of coal in his stocking before the team plane had even left the ground at MSP on Friday morning. The seat on the charter aircraft normally occupied by Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov was empty when the rest of the squad took off for Texas. He was unavailable for the Friday evening game versus the Stars with a lower-body injury that has been a problem for a few days now, Hynes said. ADVERTISEMENT “He was a little sore, I think, going into the break, and then we talked with the doctors and stuff yesterday,” the coach said following the team’s morning skate at American Airlines Center. “Right now, as far as I know, it’s day-to-day ... then we’ll see how he’s feeling each day moving forward here.” Hynes added that the absence is not related to the knee-on-knee check Kaprizov took during a November game in Edmonton, which kept him out of the lineup for one game. The coach added that he has not seen anything to indicate the absence will be long-term. “I don’t have a big concern level as of now because he was a little bit banged up prior to going into the break, but we all saw how he played against Chicago,” Hynes said, referencing the team-leading 23rd goal of the season that Kaprizov scored in a 4-3 win over the Blackhawks on Monday. “We’ll see what he does today with his treatments and see what he does tomorrow.” Stars coach Peter DeBoer got the news of Kaprizov’s absence from the media following his team’s morning skate. “Obviously, an important player. I probably could’ve saved myself some time in my pre-scout this morning if I’d known that earlier,” he said, noting that they weren’t expecting an easy night with or without Kaprizov. “When I look at Minnesota, they’re a team that’s the true sum of their parts rather than one player. “They’ve got four lines, they defend well, they’ve got great goaltending. So, probably a lot like us, you can take a player out of the lineup and still be competitive. But still, that’s a big guy out for them.” The Wild will host Ottawa on Sunday evening and Nashville on Tuesday evening. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
Musk and Ramaswamy spar with Trump supporters over support for H-1B work visasIn a case that could affect thousands of property owners and beaches visited by millions of people along California’s 1,100-mile coastline, a state appeals court has indicated it will uphold rules limiting the construction of sea walls along the coast. The case, centered on the California Coastal Commission’s decision to deny a sea wall for 10 vulnerable townhouses near Half Moon Bay, is playing out at the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco. It has been closely watched by environmental groups, builders and oceanfront cities across the state as sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, putting billions of dollars of property at risk. “It’s a big deal,” said Charles Lester, director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Center at UC Santa Barbara. “This will potentially resolve a question that’s been under debate for years now.” In late October, the appeals court issued a tentative opinion agreeing with the Coastal Commission that buildings constructed after Jan. 1, 1977, are not entitled to obtain permits to build sea walls. The state’s landmark Coastal Act took effect on that date. It says the commission “shall” issue permits for sea walls and other types of armoring to protect “existing structures” against erosion from battering waves. But state lawmakers never clearly defined the term. Property owners have argued “existing structures” means any building present at the time the permit application is filed. But the Coastal Commission’s attorneys have argued in recent years that “existing structures” only means those built before 1977. They cite a growing body of scientific evidence that shows that construction of concrete walls along the coast stops bluffs from eroding, depriving public beaches of sand. Such armoring also stops beaches from naturally migrating inland, resulting in them becoming submerged over time. “Sea level rise is a new game in town,” said Lester, the former executive director of the Coastal Commission from 2011 to 2016. “The shoreline is moving landward. We’re looking at projections of losing a significant amount of California’s beaches due to sea level rise. And most of that is in places that have a lot of sea walls.” The court scheduled a Dec. 11 hearing and then will issue a final opinion. In its tentative opinion, the judges cited earlier versions of the Coastal Act as it was being debated in the state Legislature, and showed how broad language allowing sea walls was tightened to read “existing structures.” “If the Legislature intended to guarantee any structure shoreline protection — regardless of when it was constructed — it could have retained the broad language,” the appeals court wrote. Private property rights groups are unhappy. “There may not be a simple solution. But reinterpreting the Coastal Act to sacrifice the rights of coastal landowners isn’t the way to solve these problems,” said Jeremy Talcott, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation , a Sacramento property rights group. “Simply allowing thousands of homes to fall into the sea is a very drastic decision.” The case will decide the fate of a quiet neighborhood on the San Mateo County coast. In 2016, a severe storm caused 20 feet of bluffs to collapse into the ocean in front of Casa Mira, a complex of 10 townhouses on Mirada Road that’s 2 miles north of Half Moon Bay. Worried their homes were in imminent danger, the owners obtained an emergency permit from the Coastal Commission to place boulders, called riprap, along the crumbling shoreline to block the waves from causing more damage. But when they applied to build a permanent 257-foot concrete sea wall, the commission said no. “Sea walls eat away at the beach,” said the commission’s chairwoman, Dayna Bochco, during the 2019 meeting. “So someday as this keeps moving in and in, you are going to lose that beach if you have that sea wall. I think it’s anti-access.” The commissioners voted to allow only 50 feet of sea wall to be constructed in front of an adjacent four-unit apartment building that was built in 1972. They said the Casa Mira, whose townhouses were built in 1984, couldn’t have a sea wall. The Casa Mira Homeowners Association owners sued and won in San Mateo County Superior Court last year. The Coastal Commission appealed. In its tentative opinion, the appeals court overturned much of the lower court ruling, siding with the Coastal Commission and its Jan. 1, 1977, cutoff date. The appeals court said the Casa Mira homeowners still can get the sea wall they want, however. But only because it would protect a portion of the California Coastal Trail that runs between their homes and the public beach below, making it a “coastal dependent” use to improve public access that is allowed protection under the Coastal Act. Joshua Emerson Smith, a Coastal Commission spokesman, said the agency will withhold comment until the appeals court issues its final ruling. Thomas Roth, a San Mateo attorney who represents the Casa Mira Homeowners Association, did not respond to requests for comment. With so much at stake, experts say the issue could end up at the state Supreme Court next year. For that to happen, one of the parties would have to appeal, and the court would have to agree to take the case. Numerous groups filed briefs in the case, including the Surfrider Foundation , the Bay Area Council and the California Building Industry Association . “This is not just a California problem,” Lester said. “There are houses falling into the ocean in North Carolina, in Hawaii and other places. We’re not going to stop the ocean from rising. The question is what do we choose to protect over the long run? What’s in the public interest? Some of these developments have arguably reached the ends of their natural lives if you want to protect the beaches.”
Investing in private companies has long been the protected fiefdom of wealthy accredited investors, angels and venture capitalists. But no longer: It’s now becoming possible for the masses. Today, there are new platforms that connect retail investors with startups looking for seed capital, along with publicly-traded investment firms that hold stakes in private companies that are nearly ready to go public themselves. Those options are increasingly necessary for retail investors, as the number of publicly-listed operating businesses has been dwindling for decades. The number of operating businesses listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, for example, has fallen to just 712 by the end of 2023, down from 1,166 in 2002 . Virtually every major public market globally has experienced a similar decline, as ballooning sums of private capital have allowed startups to stay private for longer – denying retail investors from participating in what is often the most lucrative period of a company’s growth. When Peter-Paul Van Hoeken started his equity crowdfunding platform, FrontFundr, in 2015, his mission was to change that. “We are basically turning anyone into an angel investor,” he said in an interview. “Providing companies with the opportunity to raise capital from a much wider group of investors, and of course for the public, which has traditionally been locked out from investing in private companies, access to these opportunities, that just made a lot of sense to me.” Because the concept was novel in Canada nearly a decade ago, Mr. Van Hoeken said getting licensed to trade securities that are not listed on stock exchanges in British Columbia took about 18 months. But after that first approval, the company was able to quickly expand across the country. Today, FrontFundr is available in eight provinces and the Yukon, with plans to reach Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories soon. There are roughly 50,000 Canadian retail investors registered on the platform. Together, they have invested $200-million worth of stock in Canadian startups through 175 individual capital raises. The minimum investment for each campaign on FrontFundr is usually a few hundred dollars and can be as low as $100. “Even if the total amount you have to invest is around $5,000, you could still make 10 to 20 investments through our platform,” Mr. Van Hoeken said. Getting access to the same opportunities as angel investors, however, comes with the same limits on liquidity. “Typically you invest longer term, which could easily be five or 10 years. Of course, the desired outcome is that the company is either acquired in the future or goes public and that provides the liquidity event for those investors.” Some companies that have raised money on FrontFundr have gone public relatively quickly, though Mr. Van Hoeken said those are the outliers. Agricultural technology company Hempalta Corp. HEMP-X , for example, raised $443,494.05 on FrontFundr in 2022 and ended up debuting on the TSX Venture Exchange in March, 2024. Other notable startups that have raised money on FrontFundr include organic mushroom producer Stay Wyld Organics and ridesharing app Hovr , which recently garnered attention for going up against Uber by offering better wages for drivers. For investors looking for private company exposure with the ability to get their money out whenever they want, options such as Stack Capital Group Inc. might be more attractive. Stack trades on the TSX and invests in some of the most well-known private companies in the world. Space X, Australian graphic design software maker Canva and Montreal-based travel platform Hopper are among its largest holdings. “A lot of companies are staying private for longer and longer before they IPO and retail investors can’t get access to that value in the private markets,” said Jeff Parks, co-founder and chief executive officer of Stack, in an interview. “That is why we wanted to bring a public vehicle out there so people can put it in their personal account, an RRSP, TFSA, doesn’t matter if it is registered or not. We really tried to think about what the barriers were for people to get access to these kinds of investments.” Another difference from the FrontFundr model is that Stack only invests in later stage private companies that are between six and 36 months from going public themselves. Stack also differentiates itself from the growing number of private credit funds, according to Mr. Parks, by ensuring a consistent level of liquidity. Increasingly common redemption halts have left many investors wary of alternative funds. Mr. Parks said many alternative fund managers have been forced to tell their investors that “we can’t give you your money back” because they are often unable to quickly sell their underlying holdings to create liquidity. “You can’t do this private trading stuff within a fund,” he said. As for why private funds continue to attract so much attention relative to Stack, “I just don’t think a lot of people know that we are out there right now. They don’t know that we exist and that we have assets like Canva and Space X.” But the idea is starting to catch on, and competitors are coming. One is AIP Asset Management, a Toronto-based investment manager that has offered a private debt fund to accredited investors for more than a decade. AIP is preparing to launch a new portfolio company on the TSX Venture Exchange called Access Pre-IPOs. Set to trade under the ticker, “XIPO,” the company will seek to invest in high-profile private companies such as Open AI, Epic Games and Stubhub. As for how to acquire those stakes, AIP co-founder and senior portfolio manager Jay Bala has a plan. There are always private company employees who receive stock as part of their compensation that they need to cash out “because life happens,” Mr. Bala said. “People get married, divorced or have kids heading to medical school.” He offered the example of a 29-year-old who has been working at a private company for five years and holds a million dollars worth of stock. “Say they are getting married next year, thinking, ‘if I cash this out, I can pay off my student loans and start fresh without a mortgage.’ They are unsure when the company will go public, and then we come along with an offer of $900,000 cash today,” he said. “That’s a deal they won’t pass up.” The key differentiator for XIPO, Mr. Bala said, will be offering “daily liquidity to an illiquid asset class that is typically reserved for institutional investors and high-net-worth family offices.”NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. January It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. February Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. March “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. April Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. May It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. June Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. July Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. August This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. September One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. October “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. November MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. December “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. The stories and images that defined 2024. Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. 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Threads takes on Bluesky with more advanced searchThe White House on Dec. 2 defended President Joe Biden pardoning his son, Hunter Biden. “He said he came to this decision this weekend, and he said he wrestled with this because he believes in the justice system, but he also believes that the war politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. She added later: “Hunter was singled out, because his last name was Biden, because he was the president’s son. That’s what we saw. And so the president believed enough is enough, and the president took action. And he also believes that they tried to break his son in order to break him.” Jean-Pierre also said the president did it because it did not seem like his opponents would stop targeting Hunter Biden, 54. Jean-Pierre was speaking to reporters as Air Force One traveled to Angola. President Biden, 82, declined to speak to reporters about his decision during a stop in Cape Verde earlier in the day. The pardon covered 10 years of conduct, starting in 2014, including crimes of which the younger Biden was convicted or pleaded guilty. Jean-Pierre previously said the president would not pardon his son. “I’ve been very clear; the president is not going to pardon his son,” she said in late 2023. When asked if the president had ruled out any pardon or commutation for Hunter Biden, she said, “Yes he has.” In November, she told reporters: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.” The president in the past also said that he would not pardon his son. “I abide by the jury decision. ... I will not pardon him,” the president said in June after jurors convicted Hunter Biden on gun-related charges, including illegal possession of a gun. The other case involved charges of intentionally failing to pay taxes. Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to those charges. He had faced up to 25 years in prison in one case and up to 17 years in prison in the other case, as well as fines. Some Democrats and many Republicans said the pardon should not have happened. Some others said the decision was warranted. First Lady Jill Biden told reporters on Monday that she supports the pardon. “Of course I support the pardon of my son,” she said. The first lady acknowledged previously during an MSNBC appearance that her husband had committed to not pardoning Hunter Biden. “Joe and I both respect the judicial system,“ she said then, ”and that’s the bottom line.” Jean-Pierre said that the president “does believe in the justice system and the Department of Justice, and he also believes that his son was singled out politically.” The president is set to leave office on Jan. 20, 2025, when President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated.